The Seattle Seahawks are just where they want to be as they prepare to host the NFC Championship Game. They finished the regular season as the NFC West champion and the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.
The Seahawks won a 3-team battle with the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers to win the division title. They overpowered the 49ers in the divisional playoffs, and now they take on the Rams in the NFC title game. The Rams and Seahawks split two close games, with the Rams winning the first matchup 21-19 in Week 11 before the Seahawks won 38-37 in overtime. The Seahawks came back from a huge deficit to send the game into overtime and the winning the game on a successful 2-point conversion.
The Seahawks played solid defense all season, but the key to the game is likely to be the passing game with Sam Darnold under center throwing to Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp.
Smith-Njigba emerged as the top receiver in the league this season, while Kupp is a former Rams who specialized in making tough catches in critical situations. Smith-Njigba had 119 receptions for 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns while Kupp added 47 receptions for 593 yards and 2 TDs
Darnold has emerged as a star during the last 2 seasons. He came into his own as the quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings last season, but the Vikings chose not to keep him and let him leave through free agency. He has proved to be an ideal leader for the Seahawk under head coach Mike Macdonald.
Darnold will be put to the test by the Rams defense
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Darnold had an excellent season, completing 323 of 477 passes for 4,048 yards with 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He developed a great rapport with Smith-Njigba and Kupp, as well as tight end A.J. Barner.
As well as Darnold played this year, he struggled badly in the first meeting with the Rams. He completed 29 of 44 passes for 279 yards but he did not throw a touchdown pass and the Rams intercepted him 4 times.
Darnold did somewhat better in the rematch against the Rams. He completed 22 of 34 passes for 270 yards with 2 TDs and 2 interceptions.
The Rams trailed 30-14 in the 4th quarter, but the Seahawks came back to tie the score on Rashid Shaheed’s 58-yard punt return for a score and Darnold’s 26-yard TD pass to Barner. The Seahawks were successful on consecutive 2-point conversions to tie the score. Darnold hit Nacua with the first 2-pont play, while running back Zach Charbonnet (torn ACL, season over) crashed into the end zone on the second.
After the Rams scored a touchdown in the overtime, the Seahawks responded with a 9-play, 65-yards drive that culminated with Darnold’s 4-yard scoring pass to Smith-Njigba. Seattle won the game when Darnold connected with backup tight end Eric Saubert with the game-winning 2-point play.
Rams are not playing their best football, and that should be beneficial for Darnold
When the Rams beat the Seahawks in Week 11, they were in the midst of a hot streak that would see them win six games in a row. However, the Rams followed that streak by losing 3 of 6 to close the regular season. They edged the Panthers in the Wild Card round before their overtime victory at Soldier Field over the Bears in the divisional playoffs.
The Rams have not shown their dominance since overpowering the Arizona Cardinals 45-17 in Week 14. As a result, it does not seem likely the Los Angeles defense will be as sharp as it was when Darnold faced them the first time and threw 4 picks.
He needs to establish his connections with Smith-Njigba and Kupp early in the game and demonstrate that he can make decisive throws when he needs to.
Darnold does not have to put huge numbers on the board, but he does have to limit his turnovers. If he can complete a couple of key passes early, he can breathe easier and know that he doesn’t have to do it all on his own. He should be able to complete 19 of 27 passes for 250-plus yards with 2 TDs and 1 interception.
The last of those numbers is the most important. The Rams have tormented Darnold with interceptions as the Seahawks’ QB1 and the Vikings’ starting QB a year ago. He needs to be fairly conservative in his decision-making and not put the ball in a position where the ball-hawking Rams can create momentum by stealing the football.
Darnold understands that the Seahawks defense has been among the best in the league and that special teams have also been productive. Darnold does not have to dominate in this game. He has to be successful on his short- and medium-range passes if the Seahawks are going to advance to the Super Bowl.
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